Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => Gaming Discussion => Topic started by: TrashMan on April 12, 2012, 07:05:07 am

Title: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: TrashMan on April 12, 2012, 07:05:07 am
Seems to be the "new" EA policy


the re-hashed DA2 maps.
The lazyness with the ME3 endings (and the art assests used, like Tali's picture..)

And now this:
http://i.imgur.com/oTju1.jpg

http://imgur.com/0kdcz


No shame apparenlty...



EDIT:
A funny comment by one poster in another forum:
GW should retaliate by having the Horus Heresy end with the Emperor trying to decide whether he'll kill Horus with red explosions, green explosions, or blue explosions.
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: headdie on April 12, 2012, 07:07:58 am
lol, Shame EA has too much momentum to change any time soon
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: The E on April 12, 2012, 07:10:33 am
What have the recent developments at Bioware to do with recent developments at what I suppose to be the former Westwood? Seems like those studios are pretty separate (despite being under the same umbrella)...

Nevertheless, that isn't just lazy, that's actually so deep into "IP violation" property it's not even funny. It goes beyond homage and straight into copying.
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: TwentyPercentCooler on April 12, 2012, 08:44:15 am
What have the recent developments at Bioware to do with recent developments at what I suppose to be the former Westwood? Seems like those studios are pretty separate (despite being under the same umbrella)...

Nevertheless, that isn't just lazy, that's actually so deep into "IP violation" property it's not even funny. It goes beyond homage and straight into copying.

It seems to me like the situations are similar. Westwood was just one of a long string of good game developers to be swallowed up, chewed up, and spit out by EA while EA rapes the corpses of their former intellectual properties. BioWare is just one of the most recent examples.
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: phatosealpha on April 12, 2012, 09:46:09 am
Silly EA.

Only Blizzard is allowed to rip off WH40k.
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: FireSpawn on April 12, 2012, 10:11:21 am
Do you think the respective legal departments are aware of this? Should we tell GW about it? And more importantly, will we be rewarded if we do?
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: LordPomposity on April 12, 2012, 10:33:07 am
We might be rewarded with entertainment.
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: Dragon on April 12, 2012, 10:37:44 am
We'll certainly be rewarded for it. We'll get to see EA get what it deserves. I hope GW is already aware of this blatant copyright violation, if they're not, it should be pointed out to them.
Also, funny thing that such a paranoid company (who, as you may recall, will do anything to protect their IP, users be darned) is doing this. It's a simple hypocrisy. Another strange thing is that they stole high profile stuff from a high profile company. Baneblade is among the most recognizable IG tanks, for crying out loud. Bunecruncha also quite distinctive (so it most Ork stuff, for that matter).
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: The E on April 12, 2012, 11:28:36 am
It seems to me like the situations are similar. Westwood was just one of a long string of good game developers to be swallowed up, chewed up, and spit out by EA while EA rapes the corpses of their former intellectual properties. BioWare is just one of the most recent examples.

The vast difference is that Westwood has been closed down, and I am almost certain that none of the people involve in this were actually involved in the old Westwood games, while Bioware is still largely intact. Now, don't get me wrong here, there were some definite changes from the Bioware of old to the company we know today, but it's not as if the company has been gutted and only the branding retained for marketing purposes. In other words, I am quite sure that Bioware can be incompetent just on their own, they do not need EA's help to do it.
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: Flipside on April 12, 2012, 11:36:12 am
Well, in fairness, a tank is essentially a box with wheels and a gun on top, so I can almost forgive similarities between tanks, but the Bonecrusher rip-off is way too similar to be coincidence, that's a blatant 'borrow'.
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: Dragon on April 12, 2012, 11:40:50 am
Similarities? That thing is identical to Baneblade, right down to the gun layout. Stealing is stealing, spade is a spade. :)
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: Flipside on April 12, 2012, 11:48:14 am
I'd agree there are enough similarities to certainly say the design was taken, but I suppose what I'm saying is that there are only a certain amount of ways you can design tanks, that's what I mean by 'almost' forgive it, it's still theft, but with tanks I don't mind too much, though, obviously, Games Workshop have every right to feel differently.

EA has been sliding downhill for years to be honest, along with Ubisoft, and they are both companies that became self-centric, I have a nasty suspicion that SimCity 5 with its permanently online features are going to do a lot of damage anyway, but either way, their whole attitude of 'We think you are all pirates, now prove you aren't' is going to cripple them sooner or later.
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: Dragon on April 12, 2012, 12:11:17 pm
Not to mention now they showed they're pirates as well. Nice going, EA. :) They're about the only company pirating from which I consider a fair game, and they deserve every bit of it.
And to think they used to make the likes of Crysis and Wing Commander...
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: StarSlayer on April 12, 2012, 12:15:12 pm
Maybe its because I take a particular interest in military hardware and make designing stuff a hobby but I can easily recognize the differences between a Leo, Chally, Leclerc or Abrams.  Heck in some cases I can tell different versions of the same model.  They're all NATO tanks built with similar configurations and in some cases identical parts, but each has its own character and distinct features. 

If real world tanks can mange to look unique and different then there is really no excuse for carbon copying fantasy tanks, they might be boxes on treads at there heart but a little bit of imagination can easily make a unique box.  This simply reeks of an appalling lack of imagination and craft on the part of those responsible. 
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: Dragon on April 12, 2012, 12:28:12 pm
Indeed. "Boxes on threads" can be very different and look really interesting with just a few touches. Take Abrams' distinctive profile, the "bulk" of Chally, or the futuristic-looking Merkava.
And while we're at it, tanks from Crysis, Dune and other C&C games. Heck, even the T-35 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-35), if they really ran out of ideas. It's design could make a great futuristic multiturret tank if they added enough of glowy bits and odd pieces.
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: FireSpawn on April 12, 2012, 03:06:24 pm
Sooooo, would supplying them with those two links be sufficient? I mean it should at least peak intrest and raise some eyebrows.
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: General Battuta on April 12, 2012, 03:15:33 pm
If a tiny corner of the internet like Hard Light has noticed, somewhere actually important has doubtless come to GW's attention by now
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: Darius on April 13, 2012, 04:43:14 am
Like kotaku (http://kotaku.com/5901275/has-ea-been-caught-stealing-designs-from-a-tabletop-game?), among many others.
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: Mikes on April 14, 2012, 07:26:19 am
Backpedalling in progress? http://kotaku.com/5901887/ea-says-warhammer+looking-tanks-wont-show-up-in-command--conquer-after-all ;)
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: BloodEagle on April 14, 2012, 11:41:38 am
Quote
The image, which depicts Command and Conquer tanks that look just like Warhammer tanks, has been floating around Reddit and other forums for the past day or two. But EA says the Command and Conquer tanks are just concept art.

OhFFSthisIssuchBull****
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: Dragon on April 14, 2012, 03:22:36 pm
Bravo Sierra (http://instantrimshot.com/index.php?sound=coughbull****).
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: headdie on April 15, 2012, 07:09:37 am
I can her the EA lawyers having a nervous breakdown from here
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: Klaustrophobia on April 15, 2012, 10:54:08 am
i doubt it.  stuff like this is business as usual for corporations.  i bet they had a plan ready when they did this in case they got called on it.
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: General Battuta on April 15, 2012, 10:55:17 am
i doubt it.  stuff like this is business as usual for corporations.  i bet they had a plan ready when they did this in case they got called on it.

I actually suspect this was probably just some artist ****ing off, rather than a coherent policy. EA works with Games Workshop on some semi-big games - they wouldn't want to jeopardize that.
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: NGTM-1R on April 15, 2012, 11:15:57 am
i doubt it.  stuff like this is business as usual for corporations.  i bet they had a plan ready when they did this in case they got called on it.

Yes, they planned to do something stupid which must inevitably be caught because...

Because...

Oh and since GW is notoriously protective of their rights, even better!
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: crizza on April 15, 2012, 02:21:49 pm
Yeah, no one should even think about fooling around with GW...Just look at this whole "Inquisitor" thing...
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: SpardaSon21 on April 15, 2012, 03:51:19 pm
Indeed.  Never mention the Squ-  :snipe:
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: newman on April 16, 2012, 01:21:56 am
Never assume a grand plan is in place if you can explain it by incompetence of a single department. I've seen these things first hand. Some lazy artist outright steals someone else's work not thinking he'll get caught (these things always get picked up on, when will people learn..), then someone spots it and the legal department investigates. Artists are instructed to change the stuff, and a public statement is issued as necessary.
It's happened before, it'll happen again. Nothing to see here.
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: TrashMan on April 16, 2012, 01:29:56 am
Indeed.  Never mention the Squ-  :snipe:

By order of the most righteous Grand Inquisitor PENETRATIO POSTERIORII SpardaSon21 has been deemed a heretic. He shall not be named, anything he said shall be forgotten, as it befits those who betray the Imperium.

(http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6g5dad7MY1qd2c52o1_400.png)

Complain agaisnt this edict at your own peril.


The Inquisiton wants to point all faithfull imperial citizens towards this informational pamphlet about, that is certanly NOT a clever media manipulation ploy. Saying or thinking otherwise is HERESY.

http://thelordinquisitor.com/
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: FireSpawn on April 16, 2012, 06:20:29 am
GWAAAAAAAAARGH!

(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg534/scaled.php?server=534&filename=ss088.jpg&res=landing)

*Eats TrashMan*
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: TrashMan on April 16, 2012, 07:54:30 am
(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/members/1/272/271318/thumb_620x2000/Exterminatus.jpg)
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: headdie on April 16, 2012, 08:04:55 am
nothing like purification in the cleansing fires
Title: Re: Theft and Lazyness
Post by: FireSpawn on April 16, 2012, 10:56:07 am
(http://guidesarchive.ign.com/guides/569/images/ration.jpg)

Your flames are now invalid.